The Champions League returns on Tuesday as RB Leipzig travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City, who are setting their sights on winning the competition for the first time.
City are competing on both domestic and European fronts late on into the season and are undefeated in nine games, but a third successive Premier League title is under threat from Arsenal and City’s former assistant head coach Mikel Arteta.
RB Leipzig, on the other hand, have suffered two defeats in their last nine matches, damaging their Bundesliga title hopes as they fell seven points behind leaders Bayern Munich. That means their hopes of Champions League football next season are in jeopardy as they are tied on 45 points with Union Berlin and SC Freiburg.
The action continues on Wednesday with Liverpool aiming to do the near impossible and progress through to the quarter-finals by overcoming a 5-2 deficit against Real Madrid.
Here is how to watch each of the last-16 ties this week.
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Porto: The Portuguese giants sit second in the Primeira Liga, eight points off Benfica with 10 games remaining. Sergio Conceicao’s side topped Group B, leading to the shock exits of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Leverkusen. Porto once stunned the footballing world under Jose Mourinho when they raised the Champions League trophy in 2004, but it will take a lot to do the same this time around – especially without midfield maestro Otavio, who received a red card in the away fixture and is suspended.
Inter: Simone Inzaghi’s men took a 1-0 advantage from the first leg into this away tie against Porto thanks to a goal from out of favour substitute Romelu Lukaku. The Italian side will be particularly motivated in Europe as it seems their hopes of winning the Scudetto are over, with Napoli commanding an 18-point lead.
City vs RB Leipzig
City: Erling Haaland was kept quiet in the first leg but with 34 goals in 35 appearances this season proves, his battle with emerging talent Josko Gvardiol will an entertaining watch.
RB Leipzig: At the Red Bull Arena, Leipzig trailed City for 43 minutes after a poor first-half display that allowed City to dominate with 74 per cent possession. However, at times Leipzig were electric when Pep Guardiola’s side began to tire, and Gvardiol rose above Ruben Dias to head in an equaliser.
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Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Napoli: There has not been a team more in-form than the Serie A leaders, who have only lost two league games this season. Luciano Spalletti’s team are set to lift the club’s first league title since the 1989-90 season, when Diego Maradona was their star man. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen have become one of the world’s most formidable forward partnerships, with 54 goal involvements between them in all competitions.
Frankfurt: Last season’s Europa League winners edged through Group D in second place, securing their place in the knockout stages on the final day. This season Frankfurt may struggle to replicate their success of the previous year and they may not even qualify for the Europa League, currently sitting five points behind fifth place. They will travel to Naples without top scorer Randal Kolo Muani who received a red card going for a 50-50 with Zambo Anguissa in the first leg at home.
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Real Madrid: The 14-time winners showed exactly why they are the kings of Europe coming from 2-0 down to embarrass Liverpool 5-2 with braces from Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema. Madrid have not lost to Liverpool in six games, dating their most recent defeat back to 2008-09.
Liverpool: Whenever it seems like the Reds are back to winning ways it never goes to plan. Jurgen Klopp’s side sit in sixth place in the Premier League, which could be their lowest finish since the 2015-16 season if it stays that way. The 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United seemed like the perfect kick-start to get back on track – though it was followed by defeat to Bournemouth – but overcoming Real Madrid could be even sweeter.
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